Motor mounting for inflatable boats



March 14, 1939. J. F. COOPER MOTOR MOUNTING FOR INFLATANLE BOATS FiledFeb. 20, 1937 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 (/mesFGoga er I wk 14, was.

J. F. cpoPsR MOTOR MOUNTING FOR INFLATABLE BOATS Failed Feb. 20, 1937 2Sheets-Sheet 2 wu cnal' b z/amesFCocyer Patented Mai. 14; 1939 Moronnoummo iron 1-:

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BOATS James F. fiooper, Akron, (Milo, assignor to foot Corporation,Wilmington, Del a c tion of Delaware Application February 20, 1937,Serial No. 126,822

This invention mlates to collapsible and portable boats, and it refersparticularly to inflatable fabric boats and to novel means for applyingoutboard motors thereto! Prior to this invention, inflatable fabricboats room required to manipulate the cars reducesthe passenger spaceconsiderably below the buoyant capacity ofthe boat. There has been noprovision for mounting outboard motors, and l5 hence the use of suchboats has been restricted. In its broad aspect, one of the features ofthe present invention is the attachment of an outboard motor to acollapsible and portable boat. More smciflcally, the inventioncontemplates a motor mounting device which may be quickly and easilyattached to and detached. from the boat and one which will distributeits weight and that of the motor over a substantial area of the boatfabric whereby to avoid injury thereto. One embodiment of the novelmotor mounting com- -prises a. basemember appropriately formed to seatupon one of the inflated tubular portions of the boat and an upwardlydisposed extension from said base member forming a stern board to whichthe motor may be secur Another feature of the invention is theprovisiom-of means for maintaining the shape of the boat in itsoperative condition with increased carrying capacity and decreasedresistance to propulsion.- This feature is achieved by use of a.

pneumatic strut exten transversely in the boat from one side tube to theother in such a way as to resist movement of said tubes toward eachother. This pneumatic strut ispreferablv located at or adjacent to thewidest part of-the boat, and makes possible a substantial width and apointed bow.

The foregoing .and other objects, features and advantages of theinvention will be readily appreciated from the following description inconjunction with the accompanying drawings wherein the invention hasbeen shown by way of example, and wherein Figure 1 is a top plan view ofthe improved boat with the novel outboard motor mounting in a Fig; 2- isa nde elevation thereof Fig. 3-isaientary view taken on line 3-3 -oiFig. 2; v

Fig. 4 is a cross-sectional view taken in line 4it of Fig. 3; y

Fig. 5 is a frentaiy rear elevation taken on line 55 of Fig. 2, butomitting the motor;

Fig. 6 is a transverse sectional view taken on 5 line t-6 oiFig. 1 on alarger scale;

Fig. 7 is a fragmentary sectional view taken on line ll of Fig. i;

Fig. 8 is a fragmentary plan view of a modified formof the motormounting; and m Fig. 9 is a side elevation thereof.

v By referring first to-Figs. 1' and 2, it will be seen that the boat itthere shown 'is equipped at its stem with a motor mounting ii to whichis secured an outboard motor i2 of any ordinary or is preferred form.This motor mounting may of course be applied to boats of other specificforms and the boat here shownmay be used without the motor if sodesired.

v The boat iii comprises a tubular buoyant frame made up of a number oftube sections it, it, Et M its, 95, w it, it and it. These tube sectionsare formed of air-tight and waterproof flexible material such asrubberized fabric and may be joined together with lapped edges 25 whichmay be cemented, vulcanized, stitched or otherwise. It is to be notedthat the bow sections Id and i5 mutually converge to a point in plan,and that they are inclined upwardly, whereby -to provide minimumresistance to propulsion, 30,

The stem tube section i 6 is of course transversely disposed and isadapted for the attachment of the motor mounting H as will later beexplained in detail. It is also to be understood that the tube sectionswhich make up theboat frame are 35 of substantially circularcross-section and sufiiciently large to provide adequate buoyancy wheninflated. Secured to the lower sides of all of said tube sections andcompletely filling the space I therebetween is a waterproof fabricbottom ll, w

thedetail of which is best shown in Fig. 6. If desired the edges of thisbottom 1 i may be lapped by securing patches it whereby to strengthenthe ric patches 22 and 23 to complete their an- '59;

phorage.

It is to be noted that the seat strip i9 is disposed at sumtantially thewidest part of the boat and, becauseof the general flexibility of theentire structure, it is desirable to provide means i'or 55 and isappropriately curved resisting inward movement of the tube sections itand l5= when weight is applied to the seat. One way of accomplishingthis is by a pneumatic strut which is best shown in Figs. 1, 8 and '7.This pneumatic strut 25 consists of a tube of air-tight and water-prooffabric having its ends 26 flared and secured to the adjacent portions ofthe frame tube sections M ll-, l5 and I5". Preferably this pneumaticstrut may be separately inflated with air through a valve 21 of anypreferred type. Furthermore, this pneumatic strut is disposed directlybelow the seat I! and is spaced above the boat bottom ll, whereby theseat is made somewhat more comfortable and the bottom of the boat isentirely clear from stem to stem. Since the pneumatic strut 25 resiststransverse collapse of the boat, it makes possible an increase in boatwidth and thus increases the boats carrying capacity.

Referring now to the motor mounting II, it will be seen that thiscomprises a base plate 30 having an upwardly disposed extension ii. Thebase plate may preferably be formed of metal or otherwise formed to fitsnugly upon the'tube section ii of the boat and to distribute its weightto substantial portions thereof. The upward extension 3| constitutes inelTect a stern board to which the motor l2 may be detachably secured bythe usual clamping devices 32. A pair of relatively spaced L-shapedbrackets 33 provide a firm connection between the base plate 30 and theupward extension 3l, these parts being relatively connectedby rivets,bolts or other suitable fastening means. If desired a thin finishingsheet 34 of metal may also be secured to the base plate 30 and to therear side of the extension 3i whereby to enhance its appearance, as wellas to serve as reenforcement.

The base plate 20 of the motor mounting may be formed in any one ofvarious ways to facilitate its detachable connection to the boat tubesection It. -For this purpose the illustrated embodiment of the baseplate is provided with slots 35 adjacent its rearward edge and similarslots 36 adjacent its forward edge and these slots are adapted toreceive securing straps 31 and 38 which are appropriately mounted uponthe boat. Fabric reenforcing'patches 40 and II may be employed topermanently hold flexible loops .4! and (it which in turn carry metallicbuckles or rings 44 and 45 to which the straps 31 and 38 may beattached. With this or any equivalent construction the motor mounting llmay very easily and boat either to facilitate use of the motor or topermit collapse and folding of the'boat for storage or transportation.In some cases it might be desirable to further distribute the forces ofthe motor and to further brace the motor mounting and for this purpose amodiflcation, such as shown in Figs. 8 and 9, may be employed. In thisform of the invention the patches 21 which are used for securing theseat 20in position may be formed with extenr terized by means quicklybe'mounted upon or removed from the sions ll providing detachableanchorage SI for the forward ends "of rods- 53. These rods 53 areinclined upwardly and inwardly toward the top of the stem board ll ofthe motor mountin and are secured thereto by bolts or the like. Thus.when the motor is in operation the thrust will be applied, not only tothe buoyancy tube section Ii, but also through the rods 53 to the tubesections M and li 7 From the foregoing it will be evident that animproved inflatable fabric boat has been provided and also a novelmotor. mounting for such boats generally. The boat, motor mounting andmotor may be easily transported as separate units and may be quicklyassembled for use when desired. A combination of these units isparticularly advantageous to campe sportsmen and tourists with motor-cartrailers. Obviously, the

several features of the invention may be modifled in various'ways andthe right is herein reserved to make such changes as fall within thescope of the appended claims without departing from the spirit of theinvention. v

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed is: l. A removableand portable motor mountin of the class described comprising a basemember so formed as to fit snugly upon a substantial area of an inflatedtube portion of a fabric boat, and an extension rising from said basemember adapted to receive an outboard motorand to hold the same inoperative position rearwardly thereof when applied to said inflated tubeportion of the boat.

2. A removable and portable motor mounting of the class describedcomprising a curved base member of substantial area so formed as to fitsnugly against and to rest upon an inflated buoyancy tube of afabricboat, and an upwardly disposed extension on said base memberadapted to receive an outboard motor and to hold the same in operativeposition rearward of said buoyancy tube.

8. A removable an portable motor mountin of the class describedcomprising a transversely curved base member of substantial area soformed as to fit snugly against and to rest upon an inflated buoyancytube at boat, an upwardly disposed extension on said base member adaptedto receive an outboard motor and to hold the same in operative positionrearward of said buoyancy tube when applied to a boat, said curved basemember being characto facilitate detachable connection to a boat.

4. A removable and portable motor mounting of the clmdesc'iibedcomprising a transversely curved metallic base plate of substantial areaso the. stern of a fabric formed as to fit snugly against and to restupon Y an inflated buoyancy tube at the stern of a fabric and anupwardlyextending member rigid with'reference-tosaid base plate andadapted to receive an outboard motor and to hold the same the boat.

- in operative position outside of Y JAMES F. COOPER.

